Saturday

CANANDAIGUA — Three people are running to fill out the remainder of former Supervisor Greg Westbrook's four-year term. Westbrook, who was elected to a four-year term a year ago, resigned in September.

Cathy Menikotz, who is running on the Republican, Conservative, Independence, Reform and Canandaigua Now lines, recently retired from the Public Defender's Office.

Linda Dworaczyk, who is running on the Democratic and Fiscally Frugal lines, is a member of the Town Board.

Sam Casella, who is running on the No Bull independent line, is a former supervisor.

The part-time position will pay $20,000 in 2019.

Sam Casella

Sam Casella, who is a farmer, has served as supervisor on two different occasions, from 1998 through 2005 and from 2010 to 2013.

After the supervisor position opened in September, Casella said he was approached by members of the community to consider running for the office again and, after thinking it over, agreed.

“I enjoyed the work and I missed it,” said Casella, who added he felt he had something more to offer town residents.

Casella said the town is in good shape, partly because of work done in planning for growth under his prior administrations. He said he appreciates that many are volunteering with the town, noting that’s how he got his start in town government, and he would continue to foster the environment that makes people want to serve.

“The more people you get involved and solicit their input — I’m a good proponent of that because I’m a creature of that,” Casella said.

Over the years, Casella said the contacts he’s made and his work done at the county and state levels would serve the town well, should the economy experience a downturn and require the town to seek outside revenue.

Casella, who served as chairman of the county Board of Supervisors’ public safety committee and served on its planning and research and human services committees, said he can provide a needed strong voice at the county, through the “war” on opioid abuse and public safety.

He supports balanced development in town, noting that residential growth is happening where it needs to be in town through proper planning. He also has had a hand in preservation work of the lake and agriculture land at the town and state level.

“I’m proud of my past performance,” Casella said.

Linda Dworaczyk

Linda Dworaczyk, who was appointed to the Town Board in February 2017 and last year ran unopposed for a full, four-year term, said good experience matters, and she is focusing her campaign on finances.

Dworaczyk is a retired finance director at Eastman Kodak Co. and product line manager at Corning Inc., and most of her career was spent in financial or financial-related areas, she said.

Dworaczyk said she was approached to serve on the board because of her strong financial background.

“There is a strong financial component to what the supervisor does,” said Dworaczyk, noting the supervisor is the fiscal officer of the town.

Dworaczyk also said she helped create and adopt a 15-year capital plan, and as chairman of a town committee on finances, helped eliminate the need and cost of an outside accountant.

Dworaczyk also is a proponent of the health of Canandaigua Lake and is working toward preserving water quality.

A volunteer mediator with Center for Dispute Settlement, Dworaczyk is treasurer of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association and noted her husband’s volunteer work in monitoring water quality.

“While everyone can say, ‘I care about the lake,’” Dworaczyk said, “I actively care about the lake and I’m doing things about it.”

The town is well run and has many good employees and volunteers, who have made a “ton of progress” in implementing the goals of the town’s comprehensive plan, she said.

“We have good momentum and positive direction,” Dworaczyk said. “The people on the Town Board do care about the town. I don’t feel there is a need to blow anything up.”

Cathy Menikotz

Cathy Menikotz this week retired from the Ontario County Public Defender’s Office, where she has worked since 2011.

Menikotz was an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn for about 22 years, before moving here with her family in 2008.

Through different legal internships and early work experiences, Menikotz learned that she enjoyed using the law to help people, particularly during a stint early in her career working at a law clinic serving people with disabilities.

“My strengths lie in knowledge of the law and using it to help as many people as possible,” Menikotz said.

Menikotz has not been actively involved in town committees because she said she is mindful of conflicts of interest because of her work as an attorney for the county. However, she serves on the board of the Greater Canandaigua Civic Center and was on the board of the Montessori School in Canandaigua.

Throughout her career, Menikotz said she has found creative ways to get jobs done with fewer resources — mentioning work in reducing overtime costs through her work in Brooklyn — which she said can be translated into the job as supervisor. She has worked on budgets and with accountants, particularly on cases defending and prosecuting white-collar crimes, she said. She also has supervised employees, both in Brooklyn and through her work in the county.

Menikotz said she would be active in pursuing grants and help develop creative ways to keep property taxes down as well as help to lead and direct and use her advocacy skills.

“I see my role as one of being able to work among many different groups of people and represent the town at the county level,” Menikotz said.

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